


Sleeping Arrangements

by Siddal



Category: Humans (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-18
Updated: 2018-06-18
Packaged: 2019-05-24 21:33:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 517
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14962590
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Siddal/pseuds/Siddal
Summary: Joe and Leo have an awkward conversation about sleeping arrangements.Note: That stairway scene was giving me life.





	Sleeping Arrangements

Joe finds the man sitting down on Mattie’s floor, looking utterly consumed by his thoughts. Brows furrowed, lips slightly pursed, looking down at his notes.

“Leo.” He calls his attention from the door, startling the young man.

“Yes, Joe?” Leo responds after regaining his bearings.

Joe looks him over for a moment, thinking he might find clues on Leo’s person.

“Where do you sleep?” he finally asks.

Leo looks around the room subtly. Joe wonders if he’s looking for an answer or a way out.

“The couch.”

Joe nods briefly accepting the answer before asking “Is that what Mattie told you to say if anyone asked?”

“N…no.” Leo stumbles on the word.

“Is that a lie?”

“Yes.” Leo submits, not missing a beat. “Does that bother you?

Joe puts his hands in his pockets with a huff and says “This isn’t my house anymore.”

“But Mattie’s still your daughter.”

“Yes.” Joe replies gruffly, unnerved slightly by Leo’s monotone responses.

“Joe, does Mattie having a boy in her room bother you or does Mattie having me in her room bother you?”

Joe frowns for a moment before asking “Why are you asking me this?”

“Because I feel like, it’s worse that it’s me.” Says Leo, a tremor in his voice betraying him a little.

“How is it worse?”

He wants to hear Leo say it.

“I feel like I’m endangering your family by being here already. And as strong as I know Mattie to be, my involvement with her poses even more danger.” The wide eyed, stone face gives way to despondency.

“So, why do you stay?” A bit of Joe’s frustration bleeding into his leveled tone.

“I don’t have anywhere else. I don’t know how…to…survive.” Says Leo, having trouble finding that last word.

Joe scoffs at this and says “You’ve been on the run for most of your life, Leo. You never needed minding before. You were the one who took care of things.”

“I don’t know how to survive without _her_ …anymore.” Leo cuts him of, some might say ill-advisedly.

Joe looks Leo over once more and sighs, deflated. This young man is utterly smitten with his girl.

He decides to steer clear of Leo’s primary concern and moves towards a more normal objection a father would have in this situation.

“Frankly, Leo, my issue is that you’re _not_ a boy.”

Leo looks up at Joe, surprised by his response. He takes a moment to look Joe over before saying “And Mattie’s no longer a girl.”

Joe sighs once more “No, she isn’t. Father’s tend to forget that fact every once in a while. So watch yourself, when you’re near my daughter when I’m around. I might forget again then.”

Leo just nods, unsure of how else to respond.

Joe looks at leo one last time before deciding to walk away.

But Leo speaks again, drawing him back.

“I’m sorry.”

Joe frowns from the doorframe.

“Why are you apologizing?”

“I just…feel like I should.” Says Leo, suddenly looking sheepish.

Joe nods, retreats from the door and says barks from a distance “Good.”

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are appreciated.


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